In a press statement on Monday, President Joe Biden emphasized the crucial role of high-speed internet in today’s society, stating that it is no longer a luxury but an essential requirement for all. He made a commitment to ensure that every household in the United States would have access to high-speed internet by 2030, with the added goal of utilizing domestically manufactured cables.
President Biden expressed the belief that these investments would benefit all Americans and emphasized his administration’s commitment to inclusivity, vowing not to leave anyone behind in this endeavor. To achieve this ambitious objective, he announced the distribution of over $40 billion across the nation, targeting areas with no internet service or inadequate connectivity.
However, the president stressed that mere access to high-speed internet is not sufficient; it must also be affordable for all individuals. He acknowledged that the current pricing structure often places internet services at a premium and expressed his administration’s intent to collaborate with service providers to reduce costs. President Biden likened high-speed internet to essential utilities such as water and gas, which are necessary for households and should be priced accordingly.
This announcement marks the commencement of the second phase of the “Investing in America” tour initiated by the administration. Over the course of three weeks, a series of speeches and events will be held to highlight President Biden’s previous legislative achievements in infrastructure, the economy, and climate change. The aim is to increase awareness among voters about his policies as he heads into his 2024 reelection campaign. The president and his advisors believe that once voters become better informed about his accomplishments, more individuals will rally behind him.
Biden faces the challenge of long timelines for investments in computer chips and major infrastructure initiatives like rail tunnels, as these projects typically require a decade or more to materialize. Consequently, a significant portion of the messaging surrounding these endeavors focuses on grants that will be allocated gradually over time rather than immediate completion of projects.
The allocation of funding for internet access is primarily determined by the number of unserved locations in each jurisdiction, referring to areas lacking access to internet download speeds of at least 25 megabits per second, as well as upload speeds of 3 Mbps. Download speeds are crucial for tasks such as streaming movies and TV shows, involving the retrieval of information from the internet. On the other hand, upload speeds dictate the rate at which information is transmitted from a computer to the internet, encompassing activities like sending emails or publishing photos online.
The funding for internet access includes more than $1 billion each for 19 states, while the remaining states receive amounts below that threshold. Notably, Washington, D.C., will receive $100.7 million, whereas Texas will receive $3.3 billion, reflecting the wide range of allocations.
President Biden highlighted that over 35,000 projects are already in progress or funded to lay internet access cables, with some of them being supported by the initial $25 billion funding from the “American Rescue Plan.” He emphasized that high-speed internet has transformed from a luxury to an absolute necessity in today’s world.
According to the Federal Communications Commission’s analysis, more than 7% of the country is considered underserved in terms of internet access.
During the announcement, President Biden acknowledged Senator Joe Manchin as a friend and celebrated West Virginia’s allocation of $1.2 billion to expand internet service in the rural and mountainous state, which has a population of around 1.8 million. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, joining Senator Manchin at a subsequent press conference, expressed confidence that this funding would be sufficient to connect every resident of West Virginia, including those in challenging rural and mountainous areas where laying fiber is costly and has not been economically viable for internet providers in the past.
The infrastructure bill signed by President Biden in 2021 included the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, as well as several other initiatives aimed at expanding internet access. Additionally, the Commerce Department recently announced recipients of middle mile grants, which will support projects to build the critical infrastructure required to extend internet access across the entire country.
States are required to submit proposals outlining their plans for utilizing the allocated funds by the end of the year. Once these plans receive approval from the Commerce Department, states can begin distributing grants to telecommunications companies, electric cooperatives, and other providers to expand internet infrastructure.
As per the program’s guidelines, states are required to prioritize connecting predominantly unserved areas before enhancing service in underserved areas. Underserved areas are defined as those lacking access to internet speeds of 100 Mbps/20 Mbps, and the program also encourages focusing on connecting schools, libraries, and other community institutions.
However, relying on FCC data to drive such a substantial investment has generated some controversy. Members of Congress have raised concerns about inaccuracies in the FCC’s data, which they argue could adversely affect the allocation of funds, particularly in rural states. State broadband officials have also expressed apprehension about the limited timeframe provided to address discrepancies in the initial version of the FCC’s broadband coverage map.
The accuracy and reliability of data used to identify areas in need of broadband infrastructure improvement have been points of contention, highlighting the importance of ensuring accurate information to effectively allocate resources and address connectivity gaps.
The second version of the broadband coverage map, released in late May and utilized for fund allotments, incorporated updates based on several factors. These factors included the addition of 1 million locations, updated data from internet service providers, and the inclusion of results from over 3 million public challenges. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, who had previously criticized the development of the FCC’s maps, highlighted these improvements in a statement issued in May.
This information was contributed by AP reporter Leah Willingham from Charleston, West Virginia. Additionally, the report was authored by Harjai from Los Angeles, who is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
